Rep. Sean Duffy & Wife Rachel Campos-Duffy Welcome Ninth Child, Open Up About Her Special Needs
Not long ago, Republican Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy revealed that he was leaving Congress. He explained that he needed to be home with his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy to help with the child they would soon add to their family, detailing that she would have some medical issues that required extra attention. Now, the baby has been born and Rachel is opening up about her special needs.
As The Inquisitr detailed, Duffy announced his retirement last month and noted that their new child would have some medical issues, including a heart condition. He resigned effective September 23, and it turns out that his resignation came at just the right time.
Rachel and Sean first met while starring on the MTV series Road Rules: All-Stars after appearing on separate seasons of The Real World. They managed to juggle having eight children while she did numerous television appearances, and he worked in Washington, D.C., but this ninth addition led them to re-evaluate things.
Now, social media posts shared on Facebook and Instagram by Campos-Duffy reveal some additional insight into the family’s recent decision.
Monday evening, Rachel shared a photo of newborn Valentina StellaMaris Duffy. The Real World veteran said that the little girl was sweet and perfect, and she shared more details via a Facebook post.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VXe7PhEht/
Rachel’s Facebook post includes the same photo of Valentina, along with one showing four of the couple’s older kids fawning over the baby as Rachel holds her. Campos-Duffy said that Valentina arrived a month early and is currently in the NICU. In addition, Rachel had her first cesarean section with Valentina’s birth, a procedure that comes with its own recovery challenges.
Sean and Rachel had mentioned a heart condition, and now Campos-Duffy notes that the baby will need surgery in a few months. Valentina apparently was born with two holes in her heart along with values that need to be fixed.
In addition to that, it turns out that Valentina also has Down syndrome. Rachel notes that this is something they suspected, but the wording makes it seem that they had not necessarily fully confirmed this ahead of Valentina’s birth.
https://www.facebook.com/RachelCamposDuffy/posts/10157734471456202
Rachel said that Valentina’s extra chromosome, which indicates she has Down syndrome, makes her “EXTRA cute.”
It turns out that Valentina was born about a week ago. On September 30 and October 1, Duffy shared a couple of videos via his Facebook page announcing that the baby had decided she wasn’t going to wait until her due date to join the family.
https://www.facebook.com/duffyforwisconsin/videos/439209480274556/?__xts__[0]=68.ARCSddqa0WKG2w_7L3Ho7IznEKggp3qSsxKaOAXinFE7kSmSuzWAtLAwHXmztaB2sqGTB_nVA9elM2yjKvzXxTk6cu6Kc8jFeCdmqWfQLuWWa0AGh2Jme2lvTjq7z5RiAQaV6PhrcnvCTGCYtckjRxlLkvuHtiYgcWQpS6KWTAIzIZ9faQaJAw2r_aspPi2AgeSbOAk_-c4HbjEH_LA7F9ZZvmla42JsRX4e-B_q2i7oPrdpeF8j-nFyGsv73DzJbe5G_86EtZrp_NRbSGUAfNlwTgitzRQVs_zvz-ZFshkBkADB_3-RF8wJqu5SP9TbmubieaQP5Wm35X40rtRiKb2qSb4YRD6Y&__tn__=-R
In his latest Facebook page, announcing that the baby had been born the prior night, he said that baby and Rachel were doing well, and he said no name had been chosen yet. He also mentioned the heart surgery she would need, but did not mention the Down syndrome.
Rachel and Sean thanked their supporters and medical team, and it looks like those who follow The Real World and Road Rules veterans are ready to lend more support as needed. Valentina StellaMaris Duffy’s arrival may have come earlier than anticipated, along with some significant health challenges, but it looks as if the family is ready to embrace their new little one and lavish her with love and attention.
